"In public he is more interested in getting groups of people singing or telling jokes than skulking off with one person, he is just nothing like the man the press have been portraying him to be.

"All of his dear friends are shocked and desperately upset that he has been tarred by the propaganda out there. He has been swept up in a witch hunt because of his high profile and celebrity! A total travesty at his age."

So far, 217 people have signed the petition. It was launched two weeks ago.